Women add caring touch in funeral business

WHITE Lady Funerals' growth on the southern end of the Sunshine Coast has led to the opening of a second office in Caloundra.

The office at 83 Bowman Rd will complement the Warana office and chapel, allowing Caloundra residents to make funeral arrangements for loved ones in a comfortable, convenient location.

The new office will have two arrangement rooms to show the full high-tech capabilities of the Warana chapel and all the service possibilities, as well as a showroom.

White Lady Funerals, which began in Adelaide in 1987, says on its website that it is "proudly Australian-owned and are Australia's fastest-growing network of funeral homes, with 50 locations Australia-wide in 2014".

The business came to the Coast in 2009, opening at 214 Nicklin Way, Warana, and has enjoyed year-on-year growth ever since.

Cluster manager for Warana and Caloundra, Christine Wellfare, said the appearance of White Lady Funerals had been a welcome change to the industry.

She said a business with only women as funeral directors was virtually unheard of until White Lady Funerals came on the scene in Australia.

The business became successful because its signature women in white suits with burgundy hats and white hearses were seen to provide a "softer approach" and a calmness more akin to a celebration of life, in contrast to the previous sombre, traditional services with men in black with black hearses.

Ms Wellfare, who has been in the industry for the past 18 years, said funerals had evolved in recent times in many areas including the addition of music to the service and even cardboard coffins to address environmental concerns and to keep costs down.

"The one thing that sticks in my mind is that the coffin used to be delivered to the place of the funeral and then the men had no involvement in the funeral.

"Now (the women funeral directors) are there to take crying children outside and care for them and give someone a glass of water.

"It's a more caring environment by the nature of women being involved in nursing roles.

"It's a natural progression for women to be in the funeral industry and to care for people at this time."

That caring environment not only applies to the funeral services.

White Lady Funerals provides free memorial services at nursing homes for staff and residents on request, because the company recognises that nursing staff and aged-care residents suffer many losses and these can be the equivalent of losing family members.

An annual memorial service is held at Christmas, allowing families and members of the community the opportunity to light a candle and share their grief in a safe and comforting environment.

Ms Wellfare said every White Lady site supported local community programs and charitable initiatives, and the Caloundra office would focus on Destiny Rescue.

Destiny Rescue is dedicated to rescuing children from human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

White Lady Funerals Caloundra hosted its official grand opening with a high tea for members of the local community and a blessing from The Salvation Army last Thursday afternoon.

"We are very pleased to have this new location on the Sunshine Coast from which we can support and guide families through the arrangement process and offer general advice to any questions the community may have about funerals," Ms Wellfare said.